Food Friday (Have a Healthy St. Patrick's Day)

March 17^th (this coming Monday) is traditionally the day when everyone digs deep and finds their inner Irish.

Some cities offer St. Patrick’s Day parades, the Chicago River runs green for several hours and even the fountain in front of the White House flows green. 

Leprechauns guard their pots of gold and if you are lucky enough to catch one, he must grant you a wish.  Of course, shamrocks abound.

If a Leprechaun happens to see you on St. Patrick’s Day he WILL pinch.  So prepare yourself and wear something green – why you ask – legend has it that wearing green makes one virtually invisible to Leprechauns.  Good to know!

Of course, as with any other holiday or festivity it is also an excuse to eat and drink.  Green beer is on tap at pubs and bars, Irish stew, potato salad and soda bread is a common choice on menu selections.  Lucky Charms anyone?  There are a few things you can make to celebrate and still stay on a healthy eating plan. 

These are some pretty self-explanatory examples.  No recipe required!

VEGGIES

FRUIT

SNACK

And what about tomorrow?  March 15th?

Food Friday (On Sunday?) Happy St. Patrick's Day

If you are really wanting to eat something green as a treat, here's a suggestion I came across for St. Patty's Day.

Washed green grapes, shaken or rolled in Lime Jello

It’s tart, sweet and sour all at the same time.

Go Green …

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

The above came with a little information I found interesting.

Forget the corned beef and green beer; if you really want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, why not make yourself a nice bowl of gruel? Because that was probably a major part of St. Patrick’s diet, according to culinary historians at the University College of Cork. Other things the famed enemy-of-snakes likely partook of include seaweed, eggs, honey, fish, meal pastes, cereal, fruits, nuts, cheeses and milk, the Irish Times reports.

What he wouldn’t have eaten: Potatoes, which hadn’t arrived yet. Instead, the Irish ate a rich combination of grains and wild foods that changed with the seasons. “From May onwards, the diet was very much dominated by dairy products,” says one researcher. “It was incredible, such profound skills were developed making all sorts of wonderful creations from milk, right up until the time the potato was universally adopted.”